Prices soar in North Darfur capital ahead of inter-school competitions

Prices of essential commodities have climbed rapidly in the markets of Nyala in South Darfur in the run-up to the annual inter-school competitions, which sees an influx of school students from across the state.

A woman from Nyala told Radio Dabanga that the price of a consumer bag of onions has risen in two months from SDG 25 (*$0.52) to SDG 150 ($3.15), a sack of onions from SDG 600 ($12.65) to SDG 3,600 ($76), while the price for a bottle of groundnut oil has risen in ten days from SDG 35 ($0.75) to SDG 55 ($1,15).

She attributed the surge of prices to the traders’ expectations of higher demand for commodities during the inter-school competitions, as the city hosts the expected influx of young mouths to feed..

The caller complained of a shortage of basics such as laundry soap in district shops. The increasing demand for bread is already stretching available supplies.

As reported a week ago by Radio Dabanga, markets across Darfur have seen a sharp rise in prices of essential goods such as onions and bread. A protesting employee in the North Darfur capital of El Fasher told Radio Dabanga that his salary of SDG 2,000 ($42) is equal to the price of one sack of onions, while the salary of a newly appointed employee at the ninth grade is SDG 1,000 ($21).

Water shortage

The displaced people of the villages of the Atbara and Setit dams of El Gedaref in eastern Sudan have complained of thirst and lack of clean drinking water for nine months, in spite of their proximity to the major water source.

The villages of Safawa (4, 5 and 3) and El Fashaga (1, 2, and 7), are experiencing a severe water crisis, where price of a jerrycan of water has risen to SDG 5 ($0.10), while the price of barrel of water has risen to SDG 50 ($1.05).

They pointed to the promises of the state government to resolve the crisis for no avail.

* All currency conversions are based on the daily US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS)